Gearing device for traction-engines.



F. J. WOOD.

JAN 12, 1911. I 1,096,338. Patented May12,1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. J. WOOD. GEARING DEVICE FOR TRACTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12.71911.

Patented May 12, 1914.

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f wenior Lain/eases Q15 F. J. WOOD. GEARING DEVICE FORTRAOTION ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 12, 1911.

Patented May 12, 1914.

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F. J. W001). GEARING DEVICE FOR TRACTION ENGINES.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 12, 1911.

Patented May 12, 1914.

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FRANZ J. .WOOD, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR ,IO WOOD BROTHERS THRESHERCOMPANY, OF' DES MOINES, IOWA, A OORPORATION: OF IOWA.

GEARING DEVICE FOR TRACTION-ENGIN To all whomjt may concern:

Beit known that I, FRaNz J. WOOD, a

, citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county ofPolk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful GearinDevice for Traction-Engines, of which the ollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the meansfor transmitting power from an internal combustion e'ngineto thetraction wheels of a tract on engine. I I

My object is to provide a gearing device of compact, strong and durableconstruction in which I have combined a: clutch mechanism, a reversemechanism, and a diiferential gear. i

A further object is to provide a gearing device of this class in WhlChthe cog wheels may all be-inclosed in a suitable casing to protect theco wheels from dust and to permit them to ethoroughly lubricated withhard grease oil, or the like so that they will operate noiselessly and'be protected from excessive wear,

A further ob ect 1s to provide a gearing device of this kind in which aninternal combustion engine may be speeded up and the clutch mechanismapplied by frictional contact so that power may be applied to thetraction wheels slowly and gradually; and also to provide means forthrowing the reverse gearing mechanism in which the power may be appliedbyjriction slowly and grad- -ually.

My invention consists in certain details, in theconstruct1on,-arrangement and combination of the various parts of thedevice,

whereby'the objects conte'm lated are attained; as hereinafter more ullyset forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a sideelevation of a trac tionengine embodying myinvention and illustrating particularly the means for trans mittingpower from the engine shaft to the driving-axle. Fig. 2 shows a top orplan view of same. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged, detail, side View of thecombined clutch mechanism, the reverse mechanism and differential gear,the casing being removed from the upper portion of said figure. Fig.4:.shows a vertical, transverse, central, sectional view through myimproved gearing Specification of Letters Patent. Application filedJanuary 12, 1911. Serial No. 602,151.

Patented May 12, 1914.

device and illustrating the counter shaft and gear wheels adjacent tosaid gearing device,

and Fig. 5 show a detail, sectional view through the casing deviceillustrating the shape of the casing surrounding the small pinions bywhich the of my improved gearing engine 11 by the pitman 13. On the endsof the driving shaft are the pinions 14 which are in mesh with the largegear wheels 15. These large gear wheels are fixed to sleeves 16 whichare rotatably mounted on the countershaft 17. This cou'ntershaft isdivided at its center to' receive a differential gear- 'mg devicehereinafter described. On the ends of the countershaft are the pinions18 which are in mesh with the large gear wheels 19 on the rear ordriving axle 20 of the traction engine. The traction wheels 21 are alsofixed to this rear axle. By means of the double gearm device power isapplied from the driving sh tershaft and not on therear axle so that thestrength of the rear axle is not impaired by having the differentialgear apphed to it. The advantages of this particular form of gearingdevice are fully set forth in United States Letters .Patent,- Number978,977, issued to .me on December 20, 1910, and hence need not beherein more fully described.

My improved clutch, reverse and diiferential gearing device comprisestwo beveled gear wheels 22 and 23 fixed respectively on the adjacentends of the countershaft 17. Rotatably mounted on thehubsof said beveledgears is a gear wheel 24 having a toothed periphery. The gear wheel 24carries a series of beveled pinions 25 of ordi nary construction in meshwith the beveled pinions 22 and 23 thus forming a differential gearingdevice of the ordinary construction that can be operated in the ordinaryway. Rotatably mounted upon the countershaft '17 are the two sleeves 16before described, each'of which has on itsinner end a casing member 26.This casing is of a size to comaft to both ends of the rear, axle andthe differential gear is on a counflange 27 and hold the rim 33 spacedapart.

pletely inclose the differential gearing device before described and isprovided with a flange 27 at its periphery. At a number of points,preferably three, the sides of the easing are brought together beyondthe differential gearing device, as shown at 28 in Fig. 4, and openings29 are extended through the parts 28 to receive links as willhereinafter appean At a point between two of the depressions 28, I havemounted the shafts 29 nd 30 in the sides of the casing 26 and on one ofthese shafts I have fixed a small pinion 31 in mesh with the gear wheel24 of the difierential gearing device and on the other is a smallerpinion 32 which is in mesh with the pinion 31 and out of engagement withthe gear wheel 24. These pinions 31 and 32 are both wholly inclosedwithin the casing 26 as illustrated in the detail View shown in Fig. 5."A similar set of pinions 31 and 32 are provided at the opposite side ofthe casing, the shafts only being shown. Rotatably'mounted upon theperiphery of the flange 27 is an annular, fiat rim 33 having a series ofinternal cog teeth 34 and also having at its sides the radially extendedflanges 35 which slidingly rest upon the from said flange 27. The teethof the pinion .32 are in mesh with these internal cog teeth 34. The saidflanges 35 project beyond the periphery of the rim 33 to form guides fora hand brake 36 which is extended around the periphery of the rim 33 andwhich has its ends connected to a lever 37 mounted on the frame, asshown in Fig. 3, so that the said.

connected by a'crank 37 to the controlling lever 41 hereinafterdescribed.

In order to provide for clutching the rim 33 to the casing 26, I havemounted on one of the sleeves 16 a sliding collar 38 controlled by abell crank lever 39 which is connected toa link 40 and said link isattached .to the controlling lever 41 on the machine frame. A number ofgripping device's, preferably three, are provided to be operated by thesaid sliding collar 38. Each gripping device'comprises a rod 42 pivotedto the collar 38, and preferably provided with a turn-buckle 43 foradjusting its length. The outer end of the rod 42 is pivoted to a bellcrank lever 44, which lever is fulcrumed to the adjacent one of a pairof clampingv jaws .45. These clamping jaws are 1 pivoted at 46 toopposite sides of the casing 26 and they are provided with brake slices47 at their outer ends designed to friction.- ally engage the sides ofthe flanges 35. The two jaws45- are opposite each other and. are

' connected by a link 48 pivoted at one end to the bell crank lever 44and at the other endto the opposite one of the clamplng jaws forwardly.

7 engine.

45, the centralportion of the link 48 being extended through theadjacent slot 29 in the casing 26. As before stated there are preferablythree pairs of. these gripping aws and they arearranged' at pointsapproximately equidistant fromeach other. By this arrangement; amovement of the collar 38 toward the center of the countershaft 17 willhave the effect of drawing the gripping jaws 45 toward eachotherat'their outer ends to thereby frictionally hold the rim 33 to thecasing 26 so that the rim will be carried around with. the casing.

In orde to support the gripping jaws 45 'in their radially extendedpositions, I have provided on-the casing 26 a series of lugs 49 designedto engage one side of each gripping jaw in such a manner as not tointerfere with the inward and outward movement of the j aw but to firmlyhold the jaw in its position when the brake shoes are in engagement withthe flanges 35 and a considerable amount of power is being applied bythe casing to the flanges 35. The two parts of the casing 26 are firmlyheld together at suitable intervals by bolts 50 as illustrated at thebottom in Fig. 4.

In practical use, and assuming that it is desired to start the tractionengine in a forward direction, then the internal combustion engine isfirst started in the ordinary way and permitted to attain a considerablespeed. The band brake 36 is previously released. Then theoperator'manipulates the controlling lever 41 in such a manner as tobring the brake shoes 47' gradually into frictional-engagement with theflanges 35. So long as the brake shoes are out of engagement with saidflanges the casing 26' and the sleeve 16 will rotate freely withoutmoving the oountershaft 17 because the pinions 31 and 32 will run idleand simply travel around the gear wheel 24 without driving it. Assoon'however as the gripping jaws engage the flanges 35, then the rim 33will be clutched to the casing 26 and will move around it. Thiswilhcause the pinions 32 and 31 to act upon the gear wheel 24 in such amanner as to drive the countershaft 17 in a direction for moving thetraction engine Obviously by means of this friction clutch mechanismpower may be applied to the countershaft 17 slowly and gradually and itmaybe readily and easily applied and released as required in startingthe traction engine in such a manner as to avoid sudden shocks or jarsto the traction When it is desired to reverse the movement of thetraction engine, the operator may, without stopping the movement ofthe'power shaft 12, first manipulate the controlling lever 41 in suchama'nncr ,as to permit the gripping jaws 45 to release from the flanges35, whereupon ithefipower from the internal combustion engine will ceaseto I be applied to the driving axle. Then the operator may, bymanipulating the lever 41, slowly and gradually in the oppositedirection, apply the band brake to the rim 33. This will cause said rimto be gripped and held stationary so that, as the casing 26 rotates thepinions 31 and 32 around with it, the stationary gear teeth 34 on therim 33 will cause said pinions 32 and 31 to transmit power to the gearwheel 24 in a reverse direction.

By my improved construction, it will be seen that, when the tractionengine is being moved either forwardly or rearwardly, the gearing deviceis clutched by a friction clutch so that'power may be applied slowly andgradually in starting in either. direction, and in the event that theadvance of the traction engine is suddenly impeded the said frictionalclutch devices may slip to prevent breakage of the gearing mechanism.Furthermore the differential gearing device operates in its ordinarymanner when the traction engine is moving either forwardly orrearwardly.

One of the advantageous features of my improved device is that theclutch mechanism, the. reverse mechanism and the differential gear areall arranged in very compact and simple form within a single casingdevice so that all the gearing devices are protected from dust and dirtand may be thoroughly lubricated, thus minimizing wear and preventingnoise. Another advantageous feature is that the friction clutch devicesare .all on the exterior of the casing where they are readily and easilyaccessible to the operator.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of arotatable member, two pinions carried thereby and in mesh with eachother, a gear wheel in mesh with one of said pinions, a driven shaftoperatively connected 'with the said gear wheel, an internal gearcapable of rotation independently of said rotatable member and in meshwith the other one of said pinions, means for rotating the saidrotatable member, means for retardin the rotation of said internal gear,and a friction clutch for operatively connecting said rotatable memberand said internal gear.

2. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of ashaft, a sleeve and casing-mounted thereon and forming a rotatablemember, two pinions carried by said rotatable member and in mesh witheach other, a gear wheel on said shaft in mesh with one of said pinions,an internal gear capable of rotation independently of said rotatablemember and in mesh with the other one of said pinions, means forrotating the said rota-table member, and frictional means forretarding'the rotation of pendently of said rotatable member and inmeshwith the other one of said pinions, means for rotating the saidrotatable member, means for retarding the rotation of said internalgear, and means for connecting said rotatable member and said internalgear.

4:. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of arotatable member, two pinions carried thereby and in mesh with eachother, a gear wheel in mesh with one of said pinions, a drivenshaftoperatively connected with the said gear wheel, an internal gearcapable of rotation independently of said rotatable member and in meshwith the other one 'of said pinions, means for retarding the saidrotatable member, means for retarding the rotation of said internalgear, and frictional means for connecting said rotatable member and saidinternal gear.

5. In a gearing device of the class de scribed, the combination of arotatable driving member, two pinions carried'by said rotatabl'e drivingmember and in mesh with each other, a gear wheel in mesh with one ofsaid pinions, a driven shaft connected with said gear wheel, ,aninternal gear in mesh with the other one of said pinions, a grippingdevice carried by said rotatable member to engage said internal gear, astationary support and a second gripping device connected to saidstationary support to also engage said internal gear.

6. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of arotatable driving member, two pinions carried by said rotatable drivingmember and in mesh with each other, a gear wheel in mesh with one ofsaid pinions, a driven shaft connected with said gear wheel, an internalgear in mesh with the other one of said'pinions, a frictionalgrippingdevice carried by said rotatable member to engage said internalgear, a stationary support, and a gripping device connected to saidstationary support to also engage said internal gear.

7. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of arotatable driv ing member, two pinions carried by said rotatable drivingmember and in mesh with each other, a gear wheel in mesh with one ofsaid pinions, a driven shaft connected with said gear wheel, an internalgear in mesh with the other one of said pinions, a

tatable driving member and in mesh with each other, a gear wheel 1n meshwith one of said pinions, a driven shaft connected with said gear wheel,an internal gear in mesh with the other one of said pinions, africtional gripping device carried by said rotatable member to engagesaid internal gear, a stationary support, and a second frictional Igripping device connected to said stationary support to also engage saidinternal gear.

9. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of aframe, a rotatable driving member, two pinions carried thereby in meshwith each other, a rim having internal gear teeth rotatably mounted onsaid rotatable member, a frictional gripping device carried by therotatable member to engage said rim, a stationary support, a frictionalgripping device fixed to said stationary support to also engage saidrim, the teeth of said rim being in mesh with one of said pinions, adriven shaft, a cog wheel connected to the driven shaftand in mesh withthe other one of said pinions, and means for transmitting power fromsaid driven shaft.

10. In agearing device of the class described, the combination of arotatable cas' ing, a divided shaft within said casing, a differentialgear device within said casing and comprising two beveled gears fixed tothe adjacent ends of the divided shaft, and a gear wheel rotatablymounted relative to the beveled gears, two pinions also inclosed in saidcasing in mesh with each other and one being in mesh with the ar wheelof the differential gear-device, a rim having inter-- nal gear teethrotatably mounted relative to the casing and in mesh with the other oneof said pinions, means carried'by the rotatable casing for gripping saidrim to the rotatable casing, and means for holding said rim againstrotation.

11. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of' arotatable driving member, two pinions carried by said rov tatabledriving member and-in mesh with each other, a differential gear deviceincluding a gear wheel in mesh with one of said pinions, a driven shaftconnected with said gear wheel, an internal gear in mesh with the otherone of said pinions, a gripping device carried by said rotatable memberto engage said internal gear, a stationary support and a second grippingdevice connected to said stationary support to also engage said internalgear, and said driven shaft being divided into two parts, bot-h of saidparts being connected to the differential gear device.

12. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of arotatable driving member, two pinions carried by said rotatable drivingmember and in mesh with each other, a differential gear device includlnga gear wheel in mesh with one of said pinions, a driven shaft connectedwith said gear wheel, an internal gear'in mesh with the other one ofsaid pinions, a frictional gripping device carried by said rotatablemember to engage said internal gear, a stationary support, a grippingdevice connected to said stationary support to also engage said internalgear, and said driven shaft being divided into two parts, both of saidparts being connected to the differential gear device. I

13. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of arotatable driving member, two pinions carried by said rotatable drivingmember an? in mesh with each other, a differential gear device including a gear wheel in mesh with one of said pinions, a driven shaftconnected with said gear wheel, an internal gear in mesh with the otherone of said pinions, a gripping device carried by said rotatable memberto engage said internal gear, a stationary support, a frictionalgripping device connected to said stationary support to also engage saidinternal gear, and said driven shaft being divided into two parts, bothof said parts being connected to the differential gear device.

14:. In a gearing device of the class described, the combination of arotatable (II'lV. ing member, two pinions carried by said rotatabledriving member, and in mesh with each other a differential gear wheelincluding a gear wheel in mesh with one of said pinions, a driven shaftconnected with said gear wheel, an internal gear in mesh with the otherone of said pinions, a frictional gripping device carried by saidrotatable member to engage'said internal gear, a stationary support, asecond frictional gripping device connected to said stationary supportto also engage said internal gear, and said driven shaft being dividedinto two parts,

both of said parts being connected to the differential gear device.

15. In a gearing device, a countershaft di vided into two parts, acasing rotatably mounted on said countershaft provided with a flange atits periphery, means for driving the casing, a differential gearinginclosed in said casing and comprising two beveled pinions fixed to theopposite parts of the countershaft and also comprising a gear wheel,twoshafts. carried by the gear casing, two pinions on said shafts inmesh with each other, one of them being also in mesh with said gearwheel, a rim having internal teeth rotatably mounted upon said flange,said rim being in mesh with the other one of said pinions, a clutchdevice for connecting said rim to said casing'comprising a number ofpairs of gripping jaws pivoted to the casing and having clutchshoes toengage the sides of said rim, a sleeve slidingly mounted, a cont-rollinglever for the sleeve, a bell crank lever pivoted to one of the jaws ofeach pair, a rod connected to each bell crank lever and to said slidingsleeve, a link connected to each bell crank lever extended through thecasing and connected to the other free jaw of the pair, a stationarysupport, a lever fixed to said stationary support, a band brakeconnected to it and extended around the periphery of said rim, and meansfor transmitting power from the countershaft.

16. In a gearing device, the combination of a countershait divided intotwo parts, a casing rotatably mounted on said countershaft provided witha flange at its periphery, means for driving the casing, a differentialgearing inclosed in said casing and comprising two beveled pinions fixedto the opposite parts of the countershaft and also comprising a gearwheel, two shafts carried by the gear casing, two pinions on said shaftsin mesh with each other, one of them being also in mesh with said gearWheel, a rim having internal teeth rotatably mounted upon said flange,said rim being in mesh with the other one of said pinions, a clutchdevice for connecting said rim to said casing comprising a number ofpairs of gripping jaws pivoted to the casing and having clutch shoes toengage the sides of said rim, a sleeve slidingly mounted, a controllinglever for the sleeve, a bell crank lever pivoted to one of the jaws ofeach pair, a rod connected to each bell crank lever and to said slidingsleeve a link connected to each bell crank lever extended through thecasing and connected to the other free jaw of the pair, a stationarysupport, a lever fixed to said stationary support, a band brakeconnected to itand extended around the periphery of said rim, andindependent means for operatively connecting each part of thecountershaft to a corresponding driven device.

Des Moines, Iowa, December 81, 1910.

FRANZ J. WOOD.

Witnesses:

M. WALLACE,

M. PETERSON.

